Charlotte Mikkelsdaughter
by Hibernia12
Summary: A slave girl is given an opportunity at a new life. She takes it and is accepted as a member of Hal's family. But will her dreams to be in a Brotherband he granted?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I think I'm obsessed with one shots. Or two shots. But I can never finish them so feel free to expand in your own story, as long as you mention where the idea came from. **

**Anyway, enjoy. I do not own the brotherband chronicles. John Flanagan does. **

**Also, the first song is from The Little Mermaid, the second one is from Lord of the Rings, the third one is from Prince of Egypt. I like adding songs in my stories. I don't own them. Sorry for the drabble, but it must be done. **

Charlotte, or Charlie to everyone but her mother, looked at the harbour and the sailors and thought to herself, 'someday I will be part of the world of seafarers, and ships.'

Then Charlie sang to herself,

"I don't know when,

I don't know how,

but I know something's starting right now.

Watch and you'll see,

someday I'll be,

part of your world!"

She then slipped back into the shadows of the alleys of Hallasholm and went back to her house and back to her master.

Charlie was 12 and a slave to the Maktig of Skandia. The Maktig being the greatest warrior of that time. She was from Araluen and hated the name Charlotte. That was why she had insisted on being called Charlie.

The Maktig wasn't a cruel man. He had agreed to her name choice and wasn't abusive. But his son on the other hand, now he was a bully and hated Charlie. He was only nice to her when she sang. Which she ended up doing a lot.

When she got back from her one hour break in the day, consisting of going to see the new ship in the harbour and longing for a chance to be one of them, Tursgud, her masters son, was in a bad mood.

"Sing for me girl." He demanded. Even though he was only a year older than her, he took to calling her girl, or slave instead of Charlie.

"What would you like to hear sir?" She asked humbly.

"Anything. Just sing. But nothing too girly."

"Home is behind, the world ahead.

And there are many paths to tread.

Through shadows, to the edge of night,

Until the stars are all alight.

Mist and shadow, cloud and shade,

All shall fade, all shall fade."

When she had finished, Tursgud sighed and left, feeling better.

Just then her master, the Maktig, (she didn't even know his real name), came in and said,

"So, Charlie, I have something to tell you. I have decided to set you free."

Charlie was ecstatic. She had never even dreamed of hearing this.

"The reason being, I think you have great potential in the world, and I think that you would do better not being a slave. I'm also not too fond of having a slave."

"Thank you sir. Thank you very much. But if I may ask one question?"

"Go ahead. You are a free girl now."

"Where will I go? I have no one here."

"I have already figured that out. You shall stay with Karina Mikkelswife. You shall help her in her eating house. She will pay you and you will be like a daughter to her and a sister to her son Hal."

"Thank you again sir. I couldn't have asked for better." Charlie was dying to hug him, but didn't know if it was proper. This was answered when the Maktig hugged her and she hugged back.

"Now you had better pack and I had better explain to my son why we have to do everything ourselves." He said with a chuckle.

Charlie ran to her room downstairs and packed her few belongings. She then heard a roar of anger from upstairs and smiled. 'He won't be pleased.' She thought to herself.

She then had another song come into her head and thought it was appropriate to sing it.

"There can be miracles

When you believe

Though hope is frail

It's hard to kill

Who knows what miracles

You can achieve

When you believe

Somehow you will

You will when you believe"

Just then, the Maktig returned and took her to her new life with Karina and Hal.

**AN: I have the second chapter almost done. **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: here's chapter 2. Tell me if its getting bad please. I like to add songs into my fanfics. Bilow Baby is from MASH, and Bloom Bloom is from Joseph King of Dreams. I don't own those or Brotherband Chronicles. **

"Hal! Do know where...*gasp*" Charlie had just gone into the kitchen to ask her stepbrother Hal where all the buckets had gone. When she entered the kitchen, it was flooded with water, wood, and more water. Apparently Hal had tried out another of his inventions.

Charlie had been living with Karina and Hal for 2 years. They had taken to her at once and 1 year ago she had been adopted by them and accepted into their life as one of the family. She had had a hard time fitting in because she was Araluen, not Skandian. But she ignored the comments and jokes and held her head high, proud to be Araluen.

But there were the days that she came home crying. Her mother comforted her and encouraged her to sing more often, as it would calm her down. One song in particular that Karina had taught her was called Bilow Baby. It helped remind Charlie that she had a family here.

Bilow baby, bilow baby, bilow baby, bilow baby bi.

Daddy still loves you, daddy still loves you. Daddy still loves you. Though he's gone to war.

Now Hal, his friend Stig and the crippled sea wolf, Thorn, were trying to make life easier for their mother. But Hal had overlooked one small detail again and it had fallen apart.

And Karina chose that moment to come home from the market.

*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

Hal had been cleaning up for hours and was near exhaustion. Charlie thought that she would help him finish so that they could go work more on his boat.

Hal had been building a boat for the longest time and Charlie had been helping. She loved ships and sailing and loved to learn more from her brother.

Hal enjoyed teaching his year younger sister, and cherished the fact that she shared some of his blood. Hal being half Araluen and all.

Stig felt like he was falling in love with Charlie. He was the only person, except her mother, that she permitted to call her Charlotte. Stig was always trying to impress Charlie and Charlie was always taking notice and hiding her wonderment. She didn't want to encourage him any further.

The two siblings and Stig made it to the boat yard and waited for Ulf, Wulf and Ingvar to show up. The other three showed up and they finished the boat.

"We will sail her tomorrow." Hal said

"Am I permitted to join you?" Charlie asked sweetly.

"Of course little sister." Hal said teasing her with her least favourite nickname. She responded with giving him a swift punch in the arm. "Ow. Well I guess I deserved that." He said with a smile.

"Darn right peewee." Charlie responded teasing him back playfully, despite the fact that he was a whole head taller than she was.

"Charlotte, will you please sing something?" Stig asked.

"Sure. What would you like to hear?" Charlie responded loving the sound of her full name coming from Stig's mouth.

"That one that you hum the tune to all the time." Stig said referring to the tune that she hummed all the time.

"Alright.

How long must there be anger here,

Before we can rejoice,

Embracing love instead of fear,

Is but a simple choice,

It's hard for me to see you fall,

So bitter and so blind,

When the truest nature of us all,

Invites us to be kind,

Bloom, bloom, may you know,

The wisdom only time breeds,

There's room, bloom and you'll grow,

To follow where your heart leads,

Bloom and may you live,

The way your life was meant to be,

There's room, bloom and forgive...

May sweet compassion set you free"

"Wow. That's a good one to remember when my temper rises past boiling point." Stig said not even bothering to hide his admiration.

"Yeah, my mother used to sing it to me when I was angry or frustrated." She said referring to her Araluen mother.

Then Stig reached up to her face and brushed away a tear that she didn't realize had fallen. Charlie put her hand over his and leaned into his touch. They embraced as Charlie cried. Soon Hal joined in the hug knowing how much she missed her real family.

Charlie's mom had died a few days before she was captured. Her dad had died when she was 4. Her life had been one misery after another until she was set free and met Hal and her stepmother.

The three pulled away and walked back to the city in companionable silence.


End file.
